On Saturday, a federal judge entered a stay of the deportation order for rapper Slick Rick. Judge Kimba Wood of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York granted the stay which means that Rick will remain in the US while the judge considers his request to avoid deportation.

“This is a good start,” Rick’s attorney, Alex Solomiany said. “Before this decision, he was out the door [on Saturday or Sunday]. But now he’s not. This is the first good news we’ve heard for Slick Rick.”

Judge Woods ordered that Rick remain in custody at the Immigration and Naturalization Service in Bradenton, Florida until she considers the evidence in his case.

According to MTV.com, Rick’s wife had left for England on December 26 to prepare for his arrival. The rapper was born in England but has lived for most of his life in New York.

In June, the rapper was arrested by INS agents under a law requiring the deportation of foreigners convicted of violent felonies. Rick has a violent felony on his record for a shooting that occurred in 1990.

The judge who presides over Rick’s case is no stranger to media cases and controversy. Judge Wood sentenced junk bond king Michael Milken in 1990. She was also President Clinton’s choice for attorney general following Zoe Baird’s withdrawal. Wood also withdrew from the nomination after disclosing she had hired an illegal immigrant as a baby sitter in 1986.